LaFleur hires ex-49ers assistant
GREEN BAY – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur is tapping into his San Francisco connection to hire a new strength and conditioning coordinator.
According to a source, LaFleur has tabbed 49ers assistant strength and conditioning coach Aaron Hill to replace Chris Gizzi, who was fired after the season.
LaFleur is still finalizing staff changes, and it’s uncertain if all three assistants in the strength and conditioning department — Mark Lovat, Thaddeus Jackson and Grant Thorne — will return, the source said. It’s possible Hill has some assistants he wants to add.
All three men worked under Gizzi last season and have been part of the organization for more than a decade.
LaFleur promoted Gizzi from within the Packers organization when he was hired in 2019, and so Hill will be his first hire in strength and conditioning from outside.
The Athletic was the first to report Hill’s hiring.
Hill has served under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan for four seasons and worked with LaFleur’s brother, Mike, his close friend Robert Saleh and his new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. Hill interned under current 49ers strength coach Dustin Perry while both were at the University of Minnesota, and Hill joined Perry in San Francisco in 2019.
Between his internship at Minnesota and being hired by the 49ers, Hill had a one-year internship with the Carolina Panthers and served four years (2015’18) as assistant strength coach at Vanderbilt.
Hill, who played linebacker at Minnesota, earned a bachelor of science in kinesiology sport and exercise science and a master’s in applied kinesiologysport and exercise science while at the university.